It seems impossible until it’s done

We’re all feeling edgy if not terrified about volatile weather with fires, floods and storms as well as wars erupting all around us. The future is looking bleak … or is it?  

Recent surveys have shown that 89% of the world population want governments to take stronger action on climate change and would be willing to give up 1% of their income to help make this happen.  This is a game changer. Yet few individuals within this group are aware that others feel the same way. Nor are they sure of the exact causes of the threat  or how to deal with it.  As a result, they are a silent majority.  

This is where clear sighted, well informed newspapers can help. Whilst many news companies in the States are facing government opposition to stating the true facts about weather,  there’s one organization, Covering Climate Now that is featuring experts discussing possible solutions and promoting other News outlets around the world to follow their lead.  

What is the current scientific evidence? Nasa reported the vast majority of actively publishing climate scientists – 97 percent – agree that humans are causing global warming and climate change. While natural factors have influenced climate in the past, the current warming trend since the mid-20th century is overwhelmingly attributed to human activities, particularly greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. 

So if the crisis is man-made, surely it can be solved by solutions devised by us?  Yes it can.

Back in 1994 scientific concern about rising emissions greenhouse emissions prompted the UN to launch the Conference of the Parties (COP) to find ways of  tackling global warming.Yet it wasn’t until 2015 at Cop21 that a historic agreement was reached between 195 countries to create a legally binding international treaty on climate change called the Paris Agreement.  Its goal was to hold ‘the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels’ and pursue efforts ‘to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.’  It was an amazing achievemen, yet the agreement only established a goal. The means of achieving it has still to be worked out.  

       Progress since then has been grindingly slow. It was not until 2023 at COP 28 that signalled the "beginning of the end" for the fossil fuel era by calling for ‘transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems.’ Yet this commitment was not repeated the following year at COP29 because of opposition from the oil producing countries.

       However,  COP29 did established a new climate finance goal, agreeing that developed countries will aim to mobilize at least $300 billion per year for developing countries by 2035 to help them cope with climate change, with an overall aspirational goal from all actors of $1.3 trillion per year. Once again this was a goal and not a confirmed source of money.

       What are the prospects for COP30 in Brazil this November? Preparations are again slow. By June 2025 only 30 countries had submitted their updated climate plans (NDCs) to meet the 1.5°C  global warming limit. The United Nations emphasizes that to keep global temperatures within the 1.5°C limit, greenhouse gas emissions must decline by 43% by 2030, requiring global emissions to peak immediately.We are running out of time.  

So with 89% of people, 97% of scientists, many well-researched newspapers and the United Nations all pushing for solutions, what’s the hold up?

Major corporations, oil and gas producing countries and some political leaders refuse to forfeit their positions and profits. They were aware  of the dangers of the link between burning fossil fuels and climate impacts as early as the 1950s.  Yet they mounted a major campaign to deny the risks. Even now the American Petroleum Institute continue to misrepresent their policies,

‘We support global action that drives greenhouse gas emissions reductions and economic development.’

In the 2024 American Election the Republican Party was backed by the Oil and Gas Industries to the extent of $14 billion with the proviso that if they were elected they would be obliged to remove barriers to drilling, scrap a pause on gas exports and reverse new rules aimed at cutting car pollution.  It helped the Republicans win the election. The money and power involved is immense and shouldn’t be underestimated.

What could change their minds?

Renewable energy sources are  becoming increasingly cheaper than new and existing fossil fuel power plants, according to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

While initial capital costs for renewables can be high, their operational costs are significantly lower as they don't require fuel purchases, unlike fossil fuels where fuel prices are a major cost determinant and can fluctuate significantly.  Nearly 3.5 million people now work in clean energy jobs in the US, with 1 million of these jobs centered in the south, a region politically dominated by Republicans. Fossil fuel providers could suddenly find the demand for their products could fall drastically. Their assets and infrastructure would become ‘stranded assets’ leading to  bankruptcy.

       Some years ago, the town of Somerset in Massachusetts USA was entirely dependent for energy, jobs and taxes on the Coal Plant there. State Representative, Pat Haddad nicknamed herself the ‘Queen of Coal’. In 2017 the Plant was closed down due to cheaper production of natural gas. Pat discovered that the town of New Bedford down the coast had been through a similar experience and had created an Off-Shore-Wind Farm. She adopted the idea for Somerset and the town returned to prosperity.

       Christiana Figueres hosted a video including climate activists and the CEO of one of the Fossil Fuel companies.  One of the young activists left the programme in disgust but Christiana continued the discussion with the CEO who told her that his young son had asked him whether he was evil.  He assured his son that he would  do everything in his power to change the focus on Fossil Fuels.   Whether he did so is a moot point.  On the other hand some Fossil Fuel CEOs may decide that renewable energy projects are likely to be more economically viable.  They might even enjoy becoming the ‘Good Guys’ in the eyes of their children.

For those young people who are still depressed and feel that they can do nothing to deal with the threats facing us,  take a look at the example of Greta Thunberg whose mental and  physical health suffered as a result of her concern about politicians’s lack of action on climate change.   Once she started her school strike and sitting outside the Swedish Parliament her vigour and positivity increased.  The youngsters Greta has inspired will soon become voters who will be pushing governments to adopt net-zero policies.

 Around the world people are becoming aware of the negative affects of increasing global temperatures. Human migration is increasing exponentially as a result of turbulent weather and nature and biodiversity are being decimated. In the States, Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell testified before the Senate that in 10-15 years there will be whole regions of the country where nobody will be able to get a mortgage or obtain home insurance because of extreme weather. In Texas many lives have been lost due to catastrophic flooding.

Once 89 % of the world population realize through authentic press reports and their own experiences that producing and burning fossil fuels has an increasingly deadly effect on their lives they will remain silent no longer. They will join the scientific community and the United Nations in putting pressure on Oil and Gas Companies to cease production and switch to renewable energy sources.

To quote Christiana Figueres, ‘There is no task that is more urgent, more compelling, or more sacred than that of protecting the climate of our planet for our children and grandchildren.’